Rarely would I ever write about a personal experience - but we got a 'lil carried away with the liquid this particular night. Spent the 2nd Set in the 3rd balcony behind the stage and remember every moment - vividly. It's been well documented that '89 was a special year and this night was certainly that!

First of all, I don't thank enough--those who make this wonderful live music available to us. There are surely too many to name.

Second, thanks for keeping HSF in one piece. It's too bad Estimated>Eyes isn't still in one piece or post Eyes.

Great show. Good sound.

The DVD Downhill From Here indicates that Alpine Valley '89 was the latter day zenith of the Grateful Dead. I have to disagree....this fall tour is spot-on. One of my favorite H>S>Franklin's ever, Jerry gets all the words and they go far out and back again without losing musicality. Same for the rest of the show. Estimated is transcendent, Eyes sublime and Brent's singing on Fantasy>Jude is in the pocket. To compensate for that ever-so-slight muffle of the overall sound, turn up the treble on your EQ just a hair. This is not a 3-star show in any way shape or form!!

My second show (first was Pgh 7/6/87--- check that out for a balls to the walls tight as a gnat's a$$ show). This show was no slouch either. Second set burns. Phil dropping the Lesh bombs on bass, Spectrum seemed to levitate during Cassidy.

This was a good show especially set 2.Set 1 was played well I particularly enjoyed Cumberland .Jerry plays some fast licks on it.Help>Slip>Frank is real good.Jerry really tears it up on Mr.Fantasy.Each song is played with gusto even when there are miscues.Sometimes they would lose steam after a miscue,but not here.Even though the Spectrum is a dump the boys had a lot of experience playing there and knew the acoustics and almost always delivered a good show.Camping was banned on this tour ,but not yet at the spectrum we paid like 10 or 15 bucks and camped in the lot for all 3 shows.Its true some of these big city shows were down right scary in the lot.

hahaha I downloaded this show before the punksss archive bitzboyz kissed the former dead's sss's and removed it. Don't believe anything you read.. this recording freaking rocks out.. I have 175 5 star soundboards i downloaded from archive before the black day they pulled them off for anyone who wants to trade shn's.. email me

Wow, I feel like I have a tough act to follow that last review. Anyhow.

Pretty decent 1st set, though nothing like the previous night. Well-played, but nothing too special.

The 2nd set is another story. Help/Slip/Frnk speaks for itself. This is a good version, with a very cool, weirded-out Slipknot jam. A surprise highlight is the transition from Estimated into Eyes. There's a nice Brent solo, some really weird MIDI stuff, and some jazzy james that have you wondering where things are headed.

Unlike many shows, the post-drums segment is very good. Jerry goes nuts on his Dear Mr Fantasy and DDHNM solos. I wasn't a huge fan of the new DDHNM arrangment (I liked it better when Jerry sang the whole thing), but I'm not complaining!

on Alpine comparison but, Alpine was done first and even if it was neck & neck it would almost in any case default to Alpine for venue. Musically they are both pretty dam close you could go song for song or compare versions and I think thats exactly how it would probably come out a give an take but, my guess and heart is with Alpine. Alpine is alot more raw, less produced sounding esp. first & third night and the obvious Fall break out midi shows make these shows a differernt sound, which I'am a fan of some are not.(I'am listening to Cumberlad right now that would be a good comparison and it would tell alot also the shake Down is smokin night the before. Heavy midi psychedelic electronic waterfall Jerry solo.) Nice spacey jam after drums and greatness on wheel intro. You make a grate case, I couldnt of matched up a better 3-night run competition. That being said,(toke..toke..)I live in a Northern suburb of Chicago and camped out and hit the 4-night run at Alpine 88' & dito for 89' only in hotel that time around. I've seen the Dead at the Spectrum Jet airliner style pre and post Brent and as old school sixers space~ship Spectrum that it is, Alpine to me was was like my trek to the Dead Head Summit the Meca's of all Meca's. I remember like it was yesterday I am flyin' on some real fresh dose like it was dipped in the parking lot or hotel near by, that damp an clean. While I'am at it lets dubble up and play a little hackey sack with some buddies, checking out the hotties and this hardcore hippie that was appearently from the looks of him, on tour for a long time. Myself it was my High School senior year that summer fresh tye dye and bracelt's tied around my wrist pockects filled with stickers you know. He said he was from Cali and we smoked some serious dank along with his "Snodgass" glass bowl that I had not seen in my town up until then. I was seeing trails within the glass and fire inside like rainbow fish gills we smoked out hard and my dose was comin on like a bear. In our conversation He relized how close I was and He talkin' like "bro" and "right on" and "kick down" all the cool Cali Head lingo and telling me "wow dont you realize what this place is man" this is thee place, this is Disney world for us Heads on the road. This is where the }}}magic{{{ happens bro. Meanwhile at this time Iam understanding but his face is changing colors & melting. what a trip yikes. So after that its gettin close and I asked him if He wanted to hang with us and He did I was happy to be hangin with a real head at this point in my Dead journey and He was lovin the free eats and beers and what not at our cars although He did have the killa. We go in show and I get outside myself fast and the setting to me was like pop up storybook land the pavillion, hill and trees were like 3-d Alice in Wonderland cartoon. Total psychedelic, Jerry was so sick and I was fallin' for Brent big. The most beatiful music was being made and I just went liquid with it all during the Touch opener. How is it we share in the the dancin skeletons halicinatons inthe clouds it was so vivid but I knew I was out of my mind.
I read a review from either Indianna or ohio 84' and others that He also witness this phenom also it was snowin Dacin Bears or skeletons. That's funny...
Sorry so long about Alpine I guess memory lane. Anyway I'am huge on the Fall 89' Spectrum run in a weird way I like it better than Hampton 89'. actually that's not true I just burnt out on it listening to the tapes for years. Between that and I never really had copies of Spectrum 89'. Hampton is still king of fall 89 tour not just for Darkstar although its obviously most it. The UJB Playin and others are so sick. Same goes for Miami love listening to those lately didn't have those either and glad now cause its pretty fresh.
If interested check the 2-night Meca shows in spring 89'. Small venue I went to in Milwaukee and those are smokers also.
No argument from me I love this run alot
5 star playin.
5 star sound.
Ps "No Doughnees" at Alpine. A weak slot that that it does not posses not~a~one. yUk YuK...

I had way too much way too fast. Second set ol' Jerry came out with the hair tied back. I was very heavy in my seat couldn't move until I got my help on the way.

this IS the run of 89 sorry to all you apline heads but philly was sereved up like a nice cheese steak great three day dead run

i dont hear any muffled sound,picky basterds,it sounds pretty damn good there is a shitload worse on this site thatd id still listen to, dont complain about petty shit..

This Is It Folks:
Stranger 10-9-89 Half-Step 3-21-90 Walkin'3-15-90 Althea 3-15-90 Cassidy 10-19-89 *Bird Song 12-9-89 Let It Grow 3-14-90
China-Rider 4-1-90 Looks Like Rain 3-28-90
Eyes 3-29-90 Victim 10-15-89 Help-Slip-Franklins 3-30-90 Fantasy 4-1-90 Saturday Night 3-24-90

very well played philly was always a blast. lucky to be a head in nj easy road trippin. worth a download

Don't let previous reviews about the sound of this show discourage you from DL'ing. Every instrument comes through distinctively and clearly, as well as the vocals.

the sound quality does not do this show the justice it deserves. a truly exceptional show, but I will never be able to realize that with this recording.

Having already tore up the landscape up and down the east coast (i.e. Hampton, NJ) like a hurricane in the weeks prior to landing in Philadelphia, we all knew the boys were poised to bring their '89 magic to the Spectrum for this run. We never got a Dark Star but...this night was filled with the peak glory of this tour.

The first set was exteremely solid, closing with a great Cumberland and the Cassidy they used for the album "Without a Net".

I'll never forget the second set. Jerry walked out and was all business. Pulled his then long hair back into a ponytail, grabbed his guitar and leveled us with this stellar Help-slip-franks. A great Estimated-Eyes, and super post-space bunch including the rare and here very strong, Death Don't...

I was honestly dissapointed at the end of the next night, since Dark Star had been played in Hampton and NJ, but didn't appear in Philly. Finally caught one the following summer in RFK, however...

Isn't that the Cassidy from Without A Net..?

Muffled sound takes away from the enjoyment...I can't believe there isn;t a crisper version of this show out.

The Grateful Dead seemed to enjoy playing at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, and shows like this one so illustrate why I chose to go back to the city of brotherly love year after year. Too many of my friends think that (because of my bad influence) this is the only city that they ever played in.
Compare two opposites, outdoor shows such as the Summer 1989 Alpine run against this indoor run at The Spectrum. This is why we went to shows. Some people were handing out "American Dead Cross - Help's On The Way Tour 1989" stickers and they seemed quite apropos.
The second set is a highlight unto itself, but notice how Brent takes "Death Don't Have No Mercy" on as if it were his own.

What a great run of shows!!! Fired from my job and lived in the Spectrum parking lot for three days. Life doesn't get more care free than that!!! :-) These were awesome shows. My first 2nd set Help. Missed the warlocks show in Hampton. Great sounding, balanced sound board...not to mention the boyz were HOT! I hope the other 2 nights show up...Pockey Way-> Scar-> Fire..hint hint...